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Pelosi: 'Nothing is off the table' to enforce subpoenas

by Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press

Posted May 16, 2019 12:41 pm EDT

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., stands at a Democratic event ahead of a House floor vote on the Health Care and Prescription Drug Package, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Earlier, at the National Peace Officers Memorial Day service, Attorney General William Barr asked Pelosi, "Madam Speaker, did you bring your handcuffs?" a reference to Barr's refusal to comply with congressional subpoenas related to special counsel Robert Mueller's report. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says “nothing is off the table” in pushing the White House to comply with subpoenas for information, including fining administration officials through what’s called inherent contempt of Congress.

Pelosi said Thursday she hopes it doesn’t come to that. But she called the White House counsel’s letter to the Judiciary Committee resisting all requests for information “a joke” and “beneath the dignity of the president of the United States.”

The White House said it would not comply because the congressional inquiries have no “legislative” purpose.

Pelosi said House Democrats aim to “subpoena friendly,” then “subpoena otherwise.”

She noted that one of the constitutional purposes of congressional investigations is impeachment. “It doesn’t mean you’re going on an impeachment path,” Pelosi said. “It means if you had the information you might.”